We hear all kinds of statistics on the news about the real estate market, but real estate varies greatly from region to region. Check out our infographic comparing the real estate market in Androscoggin County in 2017 vs. 2016. Check back next week to see the statistics for Cumberland County!

Are you ready to buy or sell a home in Androscoggin County? Give us a call today at (207)784-3800!

Should I Sell my Maine Home this Winter...or should I wait until spring?

This might be the most common question we hear this time of year. Winter may not be the most convenient time to move, but there are advantages to selling in the winter.

1. Less Competition In the spring, For Sale signs pop up like daffodils! In the winter, there are less homes for sale, so there is less competition on the market increasing the chances that buyers will look at your home. If there are less homes for a potential buyer to choose from, the probability that your home will have showings...and offers...increases!

2. Serious Buyers Are Shopping Many sellers believe that there are not buyers looking in the winter. The truth is, there are always buyers looking to buy. Serious buyers usually don't stop their home search just because winter rolls around. Serious buyers want to buy no matter what time of year it is!

3. Quicker Timeframes In the winter months, professionals typically involved in a real estate transaction such as appraisers, lenders, and inspectors, are often more available so your transaction may be able to happen more quickly.

4. Seasonal Staging Maine can be absolutely beautiful in the wintertime and decorating for the holidays can be easily turned into seasonal staging. That festive, homey touch may be exactly what a buyer needs to see themselves living in your home...and that leads to offers!

If you would like to discuss whether selling your home this winter is right for you...just fill out the form below, and one of our talented agents will contact you shortly!

Should Boomers Buy or Rent after Selling?

In a recent CNBC article, it was reported that many baby boomers are selling their current homes and moving into rentals, rather than purchasing another home.

“Between 2009 and 2015, the number of renters aged 55 or above rose 28 percent, while those aged 34 or younger only increased 3 percent…Meanwhile, more than 5 million baby boomers across the nation are expected to rent their next home by 2020, according to a 2016 analysis from Freddie Mac.” This makes sense in the short term for many reasons. If you are moving to a different part of town or a new region of the country, you may decide to rent until you pick the perfect home in an area you love. However, is renting a good long-term strategy?

A mortgage payment remains fixed. Rents, however…

As you can see, rents have steadily increased and are showing no signs of slowing down. If you are faced with making the decision of whether you should rent or buy your next home, you should take this into consideration.

Bottom Line

One way to protect yourself from rising rents is to lock in your housing expense by buying a home instead of renting. Let’s get together so we can help you decide what the best step is for you and your family!

It is hard to beat the beauty of Maine in the fall! People come from all over to see the vibrant colors.

Are you planning on taking a Maine leaf peeping trip this fall? Here are some suggestions from MaineFoliage.com of when and where to plan your leaf peeping trip...

September 15 - 20: This is the very early stage of our fall foliage season. To find color, we suggest you travel to northern Maine - Aroostook County, Aroostook State Park, Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Ashland, Mars Hill. Peak color typically occurs in these locations the last week in September.

September 22 - 27: Maine is traditionally experiencing less than 30% color change at this time of the year. Higher elevations in northern areas display the most color. We suggest you visit Sherman Mills, Baxter State Park, Shin Pond, Ashland and Portage.

September 29 - October 4: Maine's hillsides are beginning to blush with more than half of the trees displaying fall colors. The best locations to leaf peep are anywhere in northern Maine, like Aroostook State Park, Route 11, Eagle Lake Public Reserved Land unit, Pittston Farm, Kineo and Rockwood.

October 6 - 11: This is the best week for Peak Color in central Maine. Fall foliage color is in full swing in western and central Maine: Visit Grafton Notch State Park, Route 17 near Richardson Lake, Bigelow Preserve, Route 27/16 in Carrabassett Valley, Cathedral Pines Rest Area in Eustis, the lookout from Eustis Ridge, Mt. Blue State Park in Weld, Tumbledown Mountain Range, Greenville, Moosehead, Jackman, Lily Bay State Park, Rockwood, Sebec Lake and Dover-Foxcroft.

October 13 - 18: Best week for Peak Color in western and southern Maine This is one of the peak weeks for leaf peeping as peak conditions are coloring Maine hillsides. Visit Fryeburg, Bethel, Rangeley, Mt. Blue, Skowhegan, Farmington, Rumford, north of Portland and the greater Augusta area.

August is here...summer is coming to an end...and back-to-school is right around the corner.

In Maine, the weather is usually beautiful this time of year and there is so much to do...let's take advantage of those last few weekends of gorgeous weather before school starts and we get back into our fall routine.

Great Falls Balloon FestivalAugust 18th - 20thFood, Crafts, Basilica Tours, Live Dancers, Live Music, and lots of Hot Air Balloons floating over Lewiston/Auburn! See the full schedule here.

Great State of Maine Air ShowAugust 26th - 27th See the Blue Angels, US Special Operations Command Parachute Jump Team, the Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Car and so much more! See the schedule here.

Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Festival August 23rd - 27th Head to the Litchfield Fairgrounds to hear live Bluegrass from The Gibson Brothers, Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers, Nothin' Fancy, The Zolla Boys, and more! See the full lineup here.

August is a great time to be in Maine! Still need more ideas? Check out our "Things To Do" page and find great ideas for things to do all year in Maine!

Here is your chance to bid on some great items and contribute to a great cause. We have items to be auctioned in memory of Nolan Thomas Williams with all proceeds going to Make-A-Wish Maine!

Nolan Thomas Williams was a beautiful son, brother, grandson and friend. Nolan died of Melanoma cancer just a few weeks before his 4th birthday. He battled the cancer for 7 months. He had three brothers Nick, Nate and Nigel. He loved to go fishing, camping and boating with his mom and dad and brothers. He loved Sunday mornings because it meant he got to go to church. His favorite toys were his match box cars and his CD player. He played the songs over and over again "What a Wonderful World," by Louis Armstrong and "Put your Happy Face on". This sweet, sensitive little boy left his family and friends with precious memories. All who knew him were blessed.

Each year, in Nolan's memory, we host a Silent Auction on Facebook with the help of generous donations from our friends and local businesses. The money we raise goes directly to Make-A-Wish Maine to grant the wish or a child with a potentially life-threatening illness. A wish give the child and their family something to look forward to...a bright spot of hope during a hard time.

Visit our Bid For Wishes event page and place your bids! Win some great items and put a smile on a Maine child's face!